From: Beth Hillemann <hillemann@macalstr.edu>
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 1995 11:50:29 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: "Partners"  (Part 11 of 11)
Message-Id: <01HPVDHI5CC8AKYFFG@MACALSTR.EDU>

"Partners"  (Part 11 of 11)
By Beth Hillemann
 
 
"Why am I still here, Al?" Sam demanded as he walked into the squad room the
next morning.  He was late.  His alarm clock hadn't gone off (he had forgotten
to set it), there was no hot water in his apartment, he had hit every red
light between his place and headquarters, and he was feeling grumpy.
 
"I don't know Sam," Al complained.  "Ziggy doesn't understand it, either. 
There must be something else you're supposed to do."
 
"But what?" Sam asked, in no mood to deal with hybrid computers that couldn't
do the job.
 
"Ahh, Mike, good morning!" Captain Dobey came out of his office.  "I'd like to
see you for a moment in my office."
 
"Yes sir," Sam said, wondering if he was going to get chewed out for not
telling Dobey about Starsky yesterday.  But the Captain didn't look very upset
this morning.  Then he realized that Dobey was looking over his shoulder at
something behind him.  Sam turned around and saw Hutch, accompanied by a
grinning Starsky, making their way down the hallway to the squad room.  Every
few steps they were stopped by people exclaiming over Starsky.
 
Dobey frowned as the two detectives arrived in the squad room.  "What the hell
are you doing here, Starsky?  You're supposed to be in the hospital!"
 
"I work here, Captain," Starsky replied happily.  He still looked battered,
and he moved with care, but he was obviously enjoying himself.
 
"He's going home, Captain," Hutch said.  "As soon as we can figure out where
that is."
 
"What'd the doctors at the hospital have to say?" Dobey demanded.
 
"They said it was up to him," Hutch said, and his expression showed what he
thought of that.
 
"Well, get in here to my office, I want to talk to all of you," Dobey said.
 
Their progression was slowed, however, by the congratulations of the other
members of the squad room.
 
"This ain't bad," Starsky commented to Hutch as they went into Dobey's office.
 
"I think I'll die more often."
 
"Uh-uh," Hutch disagreed.  "It's my turn next."
 
Inside the office, all three men were surprised to find Linda Perillo waiting.
Dobey waited out the little storm of emotion as Linda greeted Starsky, then he
spoke primarily to Hutch and Sam.  "I thought you'd like to know that while
you two were off conducting secret and highly improper rescue efforts, Linda
here was arresting the Specialist, more or less."
 
Hutch turned to Linda with a big smile.  "You did?  How?"
 
Sam grinned at her too, "Congratulations!"
 
"What's going on?" Starsky complained.
 
"I'm with you, pal," Al seconded.
 
"Not the Specialist," Linda corrected.  "I caught the Specialist's understudy.
The Specialist, I'm reliably informed, is retired."
 
"Do you know who he is?" Dobey demanded.
 
Linda glanced at Starsky and Hutch, as if gathering inspiration from them.  "I
have no evidence of who he is," she replied carefully.
 
Hutch looked at Starsky and they both knew she was leaving something out in
her report.
 
Dobey grunted skeptically but let it rest.
 
"How did you do it?" Sam asked, to change the subject.
 
Linda shrugged.  "The plan worked.  I was able to find out which man it was
who had given the bracelet to one of Grace's girls.  And, as it turned out, he
has a thing for red hair--and he showed up last night.  I went home with him
and the rest, as they say, is history."
 
"You ran a considerable risk," Dobey frowned at her.  "You should have
communicated with your backup _before_ going to his house."
 
"There wasn't time, Captain," Linda protested.  "I filled them in as soon as I
could."
 
"She did a good job, Captain," Hutch intervened.  "I'd have done the same
thing in her shoes."
 
"That's just the point!" Dobey pounced.  "It's the example you and your
partner set that causes officers like Linda here to take unnecessary risks."
 
"But Captain," Hutch began to protest.
 
"And now you've got Mike doing the same thing.  We're still going to have a
talk about last night!"
 
"I think I'll go out and shake some more hands," Starsky said, edging towards
the door.
 
"And don't think I don't know about the stunts you've been pulling," Dobey
turned on Starsky.  "You're all four of you too damn ready to throw yourselves
into needless danger, and I'm tired of it.  I'm putting all of you on
probation--one more unnecessary incident and you'll be on report.  Is that
clear?"
 
They all nodded, even Starsky although he muttered, "_I_ haven't done anything
for at least three weeks.  I don't know why he should be so mad at me!"
 
Hutch nudged him to be quiet.
 
"I like that," Al said to Sam.  "Probation.  Keep that in mind, Sam."
 
Dobey's fierce glare then changed miraculously into a beaming smile.  "But,"
he said, "as long as that is understood, I do want to congratulate all of you
for jobs well done.  There will be commendations all around."  The four looked
at each other with wide eyes.  Linda, who wasn't used to dealing with Dobey
one-on-one like this, was looking a little overwhelmed.
 
"Now," Dobey continued, "there are just two more things to be settled.  One,
Linda here got her promotion and it's into homicide, with us."
 
Linda stared at him, and at the other three as they poured congratulations on
her.  Then she began to grin and couldn't stop.
 
"You deserve it, Linda," Dobey said.  "And you proved it last night."
 
"Thank you, sir," Linda said with shining eyes.
 
"And for the second thing," Dobey continued, subduing the other three by sheer
voice volume.  "We have to rearrange the assignments around here."  He looked
at Starsky and Hutch, standing together.  "I'm assuming you two still want to
be partners?  Although, God knows, you'd probably both be safer with other
people."
 
Hutch grinned.  "Oh, I don't know," he said.  "I've gotten kind of used to
bailing him out of hot water.  I'd hate to inflict him on anyone else."
 
Starsky narrowed his eyes at Hutch and gave him an evil smile.  "Just
remember--it's your turn next, buddy-boy."
 
"So," Dobey said, hiding a smile, "that leaves me with Mike here with no
partner, and Linda here with no partner..."
 
"Hey, Sam, this is great!" Al interrupted.  "Linda and Mike become partners
and they go on to be one of the best detective teams on the force."
 
Linda smiled and sent a wink off in Sam's direction.  "That's a great idea,
Captain," she said.
 
"Well?"  Dobey asked Sam.  "What do you say?"
 
Sam opened his mouth to reply...and felt the leaping effect claim him.  He
sent a farewell and good luck to the people he was leaving behind, and he
thought he heard Al say, "I'll see you on the other side, Sam," before his
senses were washed out in blue electricity and he was on his way to his next
assignment.
 
THE END
 
 
I hope you enjoyed this story.  Please feel free to send along any comments!
 
Beth Hillemann
hillemann@macalstr.edu